We are excited to announce Harriet’s Helping Hands, Rolfe’s new patient and family support program. This program, underwritten by a generous gift in honor of Harriet Wulfstat, enables Rolfe to expand upon our “boots on the ground” support services program.
“Helping newly diagnosed patients and families navigate those initial steps was incredibly important to Harriet,” said Allan Wulfstat, Harriet’s husband of 51 years. “Her conversations with them would help restore some sense of comfort through listening and build their confidence to armor up for the coming battles. It is an honor to carry on Harriet’s legacy in this way. She would be so proud of the work Rolfe is doing in her honor.”
Allan, along with children Jennifer Wulfstat Gadiel and Matthew Wulfstat, have worked tirelessly through their work as trustees of the Gerald O. Mann Charitable Foundation, focusing on funding the fight against Pancreatic Cancer through early detection research and treatment. Over the past 11 years, their efforts have evolved to also champion personalized support for Pancreatic Cancer patients and their families.
“As a family, we know how lucky we were to have a strong support team to help us along the way,” said Matthew. “By sharing our experience, we hope to make bigger changes in this world, foster hope, and, just maybe, save more lives.”
Rachel Sheinkop, former Rolfe Board President, will lead the Harriet’s Helping Hands program as Rolfe’s Community Partnerships and Patient Advocate. With her empathetic style and approach, Rachel will serve as a “hand-holding” guide to expedite the referral process and connect families with the medical teams that can best support their needs.
“Having lost my mom to Pancreatic Cancer, I know the importance of being there for the whole family,” said Rachel. “I will do my very best to honor Harriet’s legacy. She will always be our North Star.”
Families are looking to Rachel and the Rolfe team specialized medical referrals, trial information, pain management, nutrition ideas, financial support resources, and more. In the initial months of the program, we’ve been contacted by 17 new families and Rolfe continues to support and advise an additional 24 families.
While many of these connections are made by a family with whom we’ve helped, others come to Rolfe from a “friend of a friend” and web searches pointing them to Rolfe’s website. Harriet’s Helping Hands will be featured in upcoming social media campaigns to raise awareness about Rolfe’s patient and family support program.
“Our family values are based on surrounding ourselves with people who bring us joy, love, and strength to start each day with a sense of purpose and energy,” shared Jennifer. “Harriet’s Helping Hands will ensure that people and families affected by Pancreatic Cancer are surrounded and uplifted in this same way.”
We look forward to honoring Harriet’s legacy as we support and connect families with others. Stay tuned for the next issue of The Catalyst, where we’ll share a Voices of Rolfe tribute article featuring Harriet Wulfstat’s life and legacy.